The development of the industrial food system greatly influenced consumption choices, and what people eat has a significant impact both on food systems greenhouse gases emissions and on land use demand by agriculture.

Estimates indicate that these trends, if left unchecked, could result in a range of potential impacts including higher prevalence of chronic non-communicable diseases, lower overall life expectancy, up to 50% change in land use and up to a 80% global increase in greenhouse gases emissions by 2050.

Processed foods are often associated with increasing energy requirements for processing, packaging or transportation. On the contrary, the use of fresh ingredients can reduce greenhouse gases emissions, but these benefits could be canceled if fresh ingredients were cultivated in heated greenhouses or air-freighted.